


Not much for first impressions

by izlaria (mixthealphabet)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Human AU, I'm back at it with my shipper bullshit, M/M, basically it's short and sweet, it all sort of happens in a restaurant but no one works there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-17 06:27:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16089935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixthealphabet/pseuds/izlaria
Summary: Roman finds out that the competitor who he has spent the past few months arguing with is actually Patton’s little brother and that… sort of makes sense.





	1. A discovery

“Patton! Logan! Over here!”

Roman Prince stood up from his spot by the bar, waving as he watched his two best friends walk into the venue. The two wore matching scarfs, wooly things in opposite color-schemes that Roman was sure Patton had insisted on buying.

They approached, hand-in-hand.

“Roman, look at you!” Patton brought his free hand to his hip, leaning into it. “I think I just found the reason for global warming, because you’re looking _hot_!”

Roman grinned back. He glanced down at the black vest he had decided to sport over his red shirt, at its textured swirls in velvet that added to the look. It did wonders for his shoulder to waist ratio, and he enjoyed the way the colors popped against his darker skin.

Before Roman could give Patton his thanks, Logan had clicked his tongue and lifted his glasses to rub at his eyes.

“Patton, that is scientifically inaccurate. Spreading misinformation can be very grave, as I am sure I have impressed on you several times before.” In his gesticulation, Logan lifted up their intertwined hands, unaware of the giggle it brought up from Patton. “Global warming has to do with the greenhouse gases collected in the atmosphere –”

“Boooring,” Roman sing-sang. He held up both his hands, striking a pose. “We understand, you have a science degree, but that talk is bland, so let’s get back to me!”

Patton squealed in delight. “I see you’re already getting into character for your presentation, kiddo.”

Roman shrugged easily, ignoring the exasperated look that Logan had fixed him with.

“I am just excited for the competition,” he replied, sheepish only for a moment, before falling back into his exuberance. “Seeing the two of you has given me the extra boost that I needed! Especially when you look as dashing as you do right now.”

And he meant it. Logan’s dark blue scarf went well with his white shirt, the vertical blue stripes a fun little addition that his teacher friend wouldn’t normally allow himself. It was Patton, however, who stole the show.

“Do you like it?” Patton struck a quick pose, much more muted in his pride than Roman would have been. He had tucked a white, chunky knitted sweater into skinny jeans, which was not that unusual, but his boots were black leather, going up to his knees.

“Legs for days, oh my God!” Patton beamed at Roman’s compliment. “Oh, and I love the heels. They make you just the right height for someone to sweep you off your feet.”

Roman mimicked moving forward, as if to do just so, but Logan pulled Patton closer.

“Thank you.” Patton flashed Roman a smile, looping his arm through Logan’s. “The boots do keep me on my toes.” He winked, earning himself a snicker from Roman.

“Yes, and on my arm, it seems.” Logan rolled his eyes, but he seemed unable to erase the smile that tugged at his lips.

“Are you complaining, specs?” Roman teased. The blush that rose up Logan’s cheeks was enough of an answer, so he moved on, “but what are you two doing here? I don’t remember mentioning the competition.”

“Oh, we’re actually here for my brother!” Realization dawned on Patton’s face, drawing a worried line across his forehead. “I hope that’s okay.”

“Yes, I am sure you will understand, Roman, but we will be mostly cheering for Virgil, since he does get awfully nervous about such presentations.” Despite his apparent certainty, Roman could sense a degree of discomfort from Logan, too.

“As I see it, it’s just further assurance that the two of you will enjoy the competition,” he replied, in what he hoped was a comforting manner. Empathy had never been his strongest suit. “Besides, it will be an honor to finally meet your elusive, musical prodigy of a brother, padre.”

“He’s preparing right now, but I’m sure we can arrange that,” Patton said with renewed joviality. “Virge likes to be by himself before going on stage, or else he feels too overwhelmed.”

Roman took a moment to consider this. “Do you happen to know his stage name? I should have met him during rehearsals.”

“I believe he goes by Anx,” answered Logan. He glanced towards the stage, where a list of the competitors was being projected onto the background. “He wanted something completely unrelated to his actual identity, as it was sure to end up on the internet, somehow.”

“He didn’t want anyone in the orchestra to know.” Patton chuckled, shaking his head in light reproach. “And it stands for anxious, which he is!”

“Anx. Your brother… is Anx.” Roman swallowed thickly. Thinking back to his previous interactions with Anx, he certainly fit the bill of Patton’s brother: he played at least three different instruments and he was very reserved, only seeming to warm up to a handful of the other competitors.

Still, Roman hadn’t expected someone like Anx to be related to the fluffball that was Patton. His friend could be serious when he wanted to, but he was also easily excitable and very friendly, characteristics that simply did not go along with Roman’s image of Anx.

“You seem surprised,” Patton observed. He wasn’t quite frowning, but his features held a silent question, almost analytical in his curiosity.

“No!” Roman exclaimed. “Well, I mean, yes, but it’s not… a problem, per se.” He grimaced, lowering his head so they couldn’t read his expression. “Anx and I just don’t have the best rapport.”

He glanced up just in time to catch a shift in Logan’s features. Comprehension, he realized.

“You are the one he calls Princey.” Logan gave a heavy sigh, turning slightly to watch his boyfriend’s reaction. “An uncreative stage name, if I’ve ever heard one.”

Patton didn’t immediately respond. He let out an oh, then a giggle. “Isn’t this a doozy?”

Roman scratched the back of his head and nodded once. His smile felt strange on his mouth, too weary and embarrassed to be his own. “He told you about me?”

He had been looking at Patton, but it was Logan who answered. He looked down his nose at Roman, seeming somehow sterner than before.

“He told us you don’t know the meaning of personal space and that you have no respect for others and their limits, which, honestly, yes, sounds just like you.”

Roman bristled.

“That was hurtful.” He crossed his arms over his chest, pouting. “It’s not like Anx is an angel, either!”

“That he is certainly not,” Logan conceded. “But if I know you, and I do, you will have probably been unnecessarily harsh with him, simply because Virgil escapes the expectations to which you so often hold others.”

His tone had turned accusing and Roman grew annoyed. While his relationship with Logan could be shaky, it was upsetting to be attacked by someone he called a friend.

Roman took a step forward, ready for a fight, but Patton moved at the same time, putting himself in front of Logan.

“Forgive him, Ro, Logan is just protective of Virgil.” He fixed Logan with an irritated look. “And you, this is between the two kiddos. I love my brother, but I know how aggravating he can be, and I can’t let you go picking on Roman one-sidedly.”

Logan stayed silent for a moment, before taking a tired breath. “You are right, of course. I just relate to Virgil’s reservations, is all.” He tucked Patton back into his side, putting an arm around his shoulders. “Roman and I had a similar beginning, as you two surely remember.”

“You weren’t exactly the easiest person to handle, either, Professor McGon-all-nerd-on-me.” Roman huffed dramatically and, when he looked back at Logan, there was the faintest of smiles on his friend’s face.

Patton breathed out a laugh, clearly relieved.

“Back on the subject of Virgil, however,” Logan fixed his glasses, “I believe you ought to review your attitude towards him. I am convinced he meant no harm, despite appearances.”

Patton nodded his agreement. “I know you have this rivalry going on, but he’s just on edge because of the competition. I’m sure you two would get along, otherwise.”

“And, from what I hear, you were the one to invade his space right before a performance and then the one to point out that he’d forgotten the lyrics once there,” Logan continued, eyebrows raised in that know-it-all way he did.

“I thought it was a creative choice!” Roman protested, waving his arms to emphasize his discontent. “He changed the lyrics!”

This time it was Patton who shook his head, every bit as censuring as Logan had been, but ten times worse in his disappointment. “He got nervous because a handsome guy tried to talk to him just before he went on stage, Ro.”

“I didn’t know that,” Roman mumbled, looking down at his feet, and then, still under his breath, “He thought I was handsome?”

Too busy pouting, Roman missed the look of amusement his friends shared.


	2. A conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the end of the night and Roman needs to control his flirting if he wants to have an actual conversation with Virgil.

“Hm, this is Close to you, by the Carpenters,” Anx said into the microphone, head lowered so his bangs hid his eyes from view. He cradled the guitar in his arms with a gentleness that Roman always forgot to expect. “This is Tommy Emmanuel’s arrangement of it, if anyone wants to look it up.”

There was a single spotlight on him; just the softest of lights, since the restaurant didn’t really have the same preparedness that the theater had had. The competition was a local thing, though, a small initiative to promote exchange between performers, and not many people had signed up.

Roman recognized that the theater wouldn’t have been the right venue. Food, alcohol and good music were a far better attractive than a mere music competition.

And it was truly enchanting to look at Anx under this light.

“ _Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?_ ” He sang quietly, roughly. Roman could tell Anx didn’t have any real vocal training, but his voice sounded nice, just the right accompaniment to the melody. “ _Just like me, they long to be close to you…_ ”

His technique with the guitar, however, was undeniable. Anx kept his eyes closed, but his hands flew across the chords with an ease that Roman could only envy.

If Patton was to be believed – and Roman would have rathered die than question him –, Anx closed his eyes because of his anxiety, which could be crippling when he was the only focus of the audience. It was apparently why he enjoyed working with the orchestra, but also why he’d ventured into the competition.

Roman found it admirable. Not many people had the bravery to put themselves in situations they feared, and while he had always considered himself adventurous, a big part of that was associated with his confidence in his skills, even when it didn’t completely translate into confidence in himself. Roman had grown up acting and singing, and they had ceased to be challenges, at some point.

Seeing Anx like this, singing to a crowd of strangers in spite of the nervousness inside him, Roman felt inspired.

He wanted to sing another piece, maybe an encore, maybe dance across the small stage with Anx in his arms as Roman repeated his previous presentation, breathing the words against the side of the other’s neck: _You're in my arms and all the world is calm. The music playing on for only two_.

Roman took a second to recognize the image he’d envisioned. It was a dangerous fantasy, especially when Patton and Logan were somewhere in the room still, much too aware of his previous interactions with Anx and how terribly they’d gone.

It was a bit of a disaster.

Through the past few months of banter, Roman had expected to maybe make a friend out of the sarcastic storm cloud that was Anx. They argued a lot and disagreed on many subjects, but they had quickly moved past any actual hostility. Unwittingly, Roman had started having fun, even as he questioned whether or not Anx shared the feeling.

But this song. The way Anx strummed the chords in quick succession, an expert to the technique, but still so tentative in his singing. It pulled at an attraction that Roman had long tucked away.

 _Goodness gracious_ , the actor thought to himself, more than a little desperate, _I like him so much_.

Before Roman could completely gather his thoughts, Anx was standing up and stepping down from the stage. He didn’t wait for the applause to die down to move into the shadows. Not wanting to lose him to the crowd, Roman moved closer.

He reached Anx just as the man wished good luck to Kai and Elliot, who would be the next in line to perform.

“Count Darkula finds it in himself to say words of optimism?” The words left him in a flurry, unplanned. “I never thought I would see the day.” He paused for dramatic effect, committing to the teasing. “Well, night.”

Anx gave a snort of laughter. “So funny, princey. I’d almost expected for you to try stand-up when it was your turn.”

“Hmm,” Roman hummed, leaning slightly forward to offer Anx a provoking smile. “So you were watching. I had hoped to have your eyes on me, dear gloom and doom.”

This earned him an eye-roll, but Roman was not discouraged. Anx had shifted his gaze away in what Roman hoped was an attempt to hide the blush that stained his neck.

“What are you even doing here?” Anx continued to look out into the crowd, though his tone had turned serious. “I thought you would be with your adoring fans, or whatever.”

Roman stepped into his line of sight, gesturing to the guitar Anx still held. “Do you want help with that?”

Anx narrowed his eyes in response, but allowed Roman to take the guitar while he pulled the case from amid the other instruments that would be used.

“That doesn’t answer my question, princey.” Anx flipped the case onto his back.

“It’s Roman. You should call me Roman.” Anx was momentarily taken aback by the gentleness of his tone, and so Roman continued, “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of each other now.”

The blush now rose up the other’s cheeks, a pink so light that, had Anx had his brother’s darker skin tone, Roman wouldn’t have been able to see it. Satisfaction warmed his chest; Roman had been the one to cause that.

“Why–” he choked on his embarrassment and had to clear his throat to retake some of his previous nonchalance. “Why would we be seeing more of each other? The competition ends today.”

The way Anx said it – his hesitance and confusion and hopefulness – sparked the excitement inside Roman’s chest.

“Well, it appears that your brother is one of my best friends. Now that we have met, I would imagine Patton will continue to force us into other encounters.” Roman supposed it was cruel of him to try and dissimulate his own interest in the situation, but he couldn’t help it.

Anx really had the most wonderful eyes, despite how uncertain his gaze made Roman feel.

Something changed in his companion’s posture, however. Where Anx had previously been cautious but relaxed, he now stiffened, expression closing off into a somberness that was reminiscent of their first meeting.

“Patton,” he said in a deadpan. “You know Patton.”

Roman suppressed a grimace at the tone Anx had adopted. He supposed that, in trying to disguise his desire to continue to see Anx, he might have come through as pompous or indifferent, which – _really_ – couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“Patton and Logan have the highest opinion of you, you know?” Roman attempted to appease him. “I would like to see it for myself.”

Anx blinked at him for a moment, unsmiling.

“What you see is what you get,” he hesitated, seeming to ponder how to address Roman, “princey.”

“Well…” Roman scratched the back of his neck. He wanted to measure his words carefully, but it was clear that Anx wouldn’t tolerate any of his usual grandeur. He wanted sincerity and so he would have it, in spite of the warmth that Roman could feel creep up his cheeks. “I do already like what I see.”

Anx’ eyes widened in surprise, before he looked away once more.

“You say that now,” he frowned, “but I can remember, like, ten times we got into fights about the stupidest shit. Pat might be your best friend, but you don’t need to get along with me to keep him.”

Roman let out a heavy sigh, flicking his hair away from his face for theatricality.

“Do you take me for a fool, Anx?” He lifted a hand to silence the other as Anx made to speak. “Don’t answer that! I just meant to say that I know I don’t have to be your friend.” Roman shrugged, forcing a casualness he did not feel. “I simply want to.”

Anx was silent again, having moved back to stare at Roman with a seriousness that drove him to further uneasiness.

“I’m Virgil,” he said finally. “Pat probably told you already, so, if you know my name, just freaking use it.”

“Virgil,” Roman tried it, unable to subdue the smile it incited. “It is… quite the name.”

Anx – _Virgil_ – scoffed. “It’s an old name.”

“It’s an elegant name,” he corrected, earning himself a small smile from Virgil. “I am sorry for the impression I might have left in you. I can be… reckless, with my words.”

Virgil adjusted the strap of the guitar case, looking thoughtful.

“You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Competitions and the such make me…” He frowned, struggling with what to say.

“Anxious?” Roman suggested with a chuckle.

Virgil shook his head in amusement, just like Patton did, and huffed a quick laugh. “Sure.”

It took Roman a second to gather himself. He had never seen Virgil smile like this, not in response to him, at least, and it was honestly a bit much to take in.

“How about we start over, then?” It would be impossible for him to erase this image of Virgil, but maybe Roman could work on making up for the insults he’d carelessly thrown his way, back when the rehearsals had started.

Virgil rolled his eyes.

“That’s not really what I want, princey. Despite the whole shebang, I always did enjoy our banter.”

“Oh,” Roman grinned brightly, “good!”

“Good?” Virgil asked in disbelief.

“Yes!” Roman tried to school his expression into something a little less manic and a little more charming. “I mean, I've already used some of my best lines on you. I can't have you pretending those didn’t happen.”

His companion remained unimpressed, and Roman mourned the absence of the blush he’d previously been able to provoke.

“Those were your best lines?” Virgil crossed his arms over his chest, and Roman allowed himself a quick look at the stretch of the purple sweater across his shoulders. “You really don’t have any game, do you?”

Roman took a step closer, just shy of invading Virgil’s personal space. “Well, are they working anyway?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we should discuss it over coffee.” Virgil’s eyes trailed down his figure, and the spark of excitement in Roman’s chest grew warmer.

“That was smooth,” he observed, voice failing him.

“I know.” Virgil smirked. “Just one more way I'm better than you.”

“Oh, I will make you bite your tongue.” Roman paused, fixing Virgil with a heated look. “Or I could bite it for you. I'm not picky.”

Virgil threw his head back in a cackle, effectively shifting the charged air between them. “Fuck, ok, that goes into the list of lines you're not allowed to use anymore.”

Roman shrugged. He offered the other his hand, not wanting to simply reach out and touch him. “Do I still get to have coffee with you?”

“Yeah?” Virgil smiled sheepishly. He brushed his fingers against Roman’s palm and held on gingerly, with a carefulness that reminded Roman of the way he played.

It was calculated and precise and tender, but Roman could barely wait for the moment when he could make Virgil forget to be cautious.

He lifted Virgil’s hand to his lips and enjoyed the pink that appeared once again on his neck.

“Then I can live with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was a satisfying ending! I wanted to do Virgil justice, because I love him to death, and I honestly wanted to portray the whole thing realistically.

**Author's Note:**

> I had this image of Virgil strumming a guitar while Roman looked on like “Crap, I really like him”, so I decided to write this.


End file.
